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Vancouver Sometimes Plays Itself - Skip Tracer

V.I.A.

V.I.A. is co-sponsoring the amazing Vancouver Sometimes Plays Itself film series that's screening at the Waldorf Hotel! It's the first comprehensive showing of some of the earliest, most ambitious and strangest films shot in Vancouver and it happens every Monday at 7 PM for the next few weeks. The series is presented by local arts researcher Elvy Del Bianco, who has spent the last year and a half identifying and acquiring Vancouver-set films, and will feature notable guest speakers. Michael Turner’s On Location 1 (Elvy Del Bianco’s Annotated Film Collection) will screen weekly before each film, and we're priming it here on the blog by offering Elvy's thoughts on that week's title.

This week's film is Skip Tracer, and here's a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX1yMtaaF0k

And here's the synopsis and some thoughts from Elvy:

Skip Tracer

1977

John Collins (David Petersen) is the poster-child of a new economy that’s all business and no empathy. He’s a sharply dressed, misanthropic bill collector, unrelentingly hunting down those that have defaulted on their high-interest financed dreams of the good life, until death threats and doubt expose him as one more fallible human caught in the market machine.

Set against a backdrop of serene mountain vistas and the warm, golden glow of a Vancouver summer, is a gritty reality of muddy construction sites, used car lots, strip joints and intimidation. Skip Tracer sets its tone early: the film opens with the unmistakable sound of the noon horn –the opening notes of O, Canada- and Collins’ unauthorized placement of a “For Sale” sign onto the suburban lawn of a noncompliant borrower.

Skip Tracer is the independent debut feature of Philippine-born Zale Dalen. After a career directing television programs and the odd feature, including the notorious but seldom seen dystopian comedy Terminal City Ricochet (coming to the Waldorf “Drive-In” this summer), Dalen moved to China, where he teaches English.

Tightly directed for the most part, beautifully shot and featuring good performances by Petersen, John Lazarus, Steven E. Miller and Sue Astley, Skip Tracer represents the epitome of early independent local film production and a unique, pulp take of our city.

Unavailable on DVD.

Russian Roulette will be introduced by Fraser Nixon, author of The Man Who Killed, published by Douglas & MacIntyre.

Vancouver Sometimes Plays Itself series screens every Monday, Admission is by Donation

7pm—Doors

7:30pm—Introductory Presentation by Special Guest Speaker

7:50pm—Screening